New insights into how diet and medication impact the influence of gut bacteria on our health

[Northerner]

Research published in Cell on 29th August by the groups of Filipe Cabreiro from the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Imperial College and Christoph Kaleta from Kiel University in Germany has demonstrated that diet can alter the effectiveness of a type-2 diabetes drug via its action on gut bacteria.

Bacteria that reside in our gastrointestinal tract, referred to as the gut microbiome, produce numerous molecules capable of influencing health and disease. The function of the gut microbiome is known to be regulated by both diet and drugs such as the drug metformin, which is used to treat type-2 diabetes and has been shown to extend the lifespan of several organisms. However, understanding the complicated, multi-directional relationships between diet, drugs and the gut microbiome represents a considerable challenge. "Disentangling this network of interactions is of utmost importance since the specific mechanism of action of metformin is still unclear," says Filipe Cabreiro.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190830112810.htm

 

[Drummer]

On August bank holiday I got very overheated with no water (or anything else) available - for over 4 hours I had only a couple of pints to drink and I needed more like 8 - and my digestion and attitude to eating has entirely changed. I suspect that the poor little bugs were in some distress.

 

[mikeyB]

Disentangling the network of interactions between bacteria in the gut will be like disentangling the action of individual neurons in the brain, a Sisyphean task if ever there was one. Best of luck with that, Mr Cabreiro.